Endless Star Patterns
by lluvzGir
Summary: The lonely clan of the snowy wilderness often faces hunger and freezing cold during leaf-bare. But sometimes that's not the only threat that can bring a clan of cats to Starclan.
1. Chapter 1

Bright sunlight flitted through the walls of the nursery, casting a bright dapple of swaying sunlight onto the soft, moss-lined floor. Slightly blinded by the dazzling beams of light, a tiny brown tom waddled into the clearing. Leaf-green eyes screwed up against the light of sun-high, Pinekit blinked rapidly, before squealing behind him "It's nice out!" Several cats around the large camp turned their heads, some looking disapproving while others twitched their whiskers in amusement.

As the tiny dusky-brown tom stepped further, three bundles of fur tumbled out, a cloud of dust springing from the dry ground. A larger blue-gray tom with a white belly and a black-ringed tail rolled to his paws and mewed indignantly "Why couldn't you wait your turn, Blazekit?" A pale red she-kit, dappled in darker red replied crossly, "Because you're such a slow old furball!" The third kit rolled his eyes, and mewed sarcastically "Look at how well we get along." Pinekit watched his littermates argue, and shook his head. Sunkit lashed his short tail, amber eyes narrowed, and mewed crossly "Oh look how dusty my fur is." Stormingkit mocked a fake bow, stretching his paws out in front of him and bowing his dark head. "Our great leader can't look dirty, now can he?" Sunkit rolled his eyes, mewing "Whatever." Blazekit, regaining her enthusiasm, sprang to her paws and mewed "Hey! Why are we arguing?" Gleaming blue eyes growing wide, she mewed "Let's go see the elders!" Another voice cut in from the direction of the nursery. "Not looking filthy like that, you aren't!" Pinekit mewled happily as he recognized his mother Mossypath. She gazed disapprovingly at her kits, mewing crossly "Clean yourselves," spotting Blazekit's mouth opening, about to reply, she added "Unless you'd rather I do it?" Blazekit turned and licked her pelt instead, looking mutinous.

Turning back from his littermates, he heard another squealing coming from the nursery. Two of Pinekit's larger littermates scampered out, looking excited. Their white fur was groomed neatly, gleaming in the light. Both Birdkit and Snowkit looked about ready to explode. Solarillusion padded out slower, mewing warningly "Don't get your pelts dirty before Rosestar can even call the meeting!" Looking confused, Pinekit turned to look at the High-branch, the center of the Echoclan camp. His head tipped to the side, wondering what the pale brown queen meant. His eyes widened as he watched Rosestar leap onto the branch easily, her gaze raking the clearing. Pinekit heard a rasping mew in his ear. "Soon it'll be your turn." Turning, the small brown tom gave a squeal of delight. Before him stood his father Voidfreeze, the deputy of Echoclan. Mossypath purred and leaped over, nuzzling her mate. Voidfreeze purred, his sleek black fur brushing hers. The other kits, finished cleaning their pelts, leaped at their father, bowling him over. Determined not to appear as childish, he turned his attention to Hollowdawn picking her way carefully across the camp, a bundle of leaves in her jaws. Breathing deeply, Pinekit was able to distunguish the sharp tang of Dock leaves. Excitement pricked at his paws. He'd learned the smell of dock when Blazekit had gotten scratched by a thorn, and had never forgotten it. Pinekit got to his paws, sure that Hollowdawn would know what Solarillusion meant, and why Snowkit and Birdkit looked so clean.

Before he could call out, however, Rosestar's yowl silenced him. "Cats of Echoclan, gather to hear what I have to say!" Cats seemed to stream out of the shadows, slipping beneath their leader. Her gaze shining proudly, she watched as Birdkit and Snowkit were walked to the bottom of the High-branch by their father Blizzardheart. The tom looked like a larger version of his snowy daughters, with gleaming amber eyes instead of dusky gray. Rosestar waited patiently until they were ready. Pinekit watched with wide eyes, paws fidgeting. Beside him, he heard Sunkit whispered softly "Soon that'll be us." Though Pinekit nodded, he found it hard to be his ears, he looked up as Rosestar began to speak once more.

Her voice rumbled, a purr in the back of her throat. Pinekit remembered that Solarillusion was her sister, and he was sure that she must be proud. "It's my pleasure to preform one of the more important duties of a Clan Leader." She blinked as Snowkit and Birdkit padded up. Pinekit watched intently, determined to make sure he didn't do anything when he became an apprentice. Both of the snowy she-cats looked like they were trying hard not to dance around. Rosestar looked towards the bright, clear blue sky and her voice rang out clearly, "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code, train and fight for your clan, even at the cost of your life?" Snowkit blinked slowly before mewing clearly "I do." Birdkit said in a slightly more high-pitched voice "I do!" Nodding, Rosestar mewed "Then I, Rosestar, leader of Echoclan, commend you both to Starclan as apprentices. Birdkit, from this moment until you earn your warrior name, you will be known as Birdpaw." The clearing rang out with calls of "Birdpaw! Birdpaw!" Rosestar paused once more to let the chanting die down, then mewed "Your mentor will be Galefrost." The stone-gray she-cat stepped out of the crowd, purring. Her blue eyes gleamed as the sun bounced off her white and gray stripes along her pelt. Birdpaw and Galefrost touched noses and drifted off to the side to leave Snowkit looking nervous just below her leader. Rosestar mewed "Snowkit, you will be known as Snowpaw. Your mentor will be Crystalgleam." Pinekit started in surprise, and looked towards his mother as the warrior and newly named apprentice touched noses. He hissed to his mother softly "Didn't Crystalgleam just recently become a Warrior?" He jumped as another voice answered. "Snowpaw and Birdpaw will be at a disadvantage with their snowy pelts." Pinekit recognized Siftedwing, a senior warrior. He turned to look at the tom, blinking his wide eyes. Siftedwing looked menacing, his large battle-scarred muzzle towering above Pinekit. Scars were laced along his sandy-ginger pelt, but his green eyes had a friendly gleam. He continued, "Since Galefrost and Crystalgleam both have light pelts, they'll know how to teach them how to hunt in greenleaf." He broke off as Rosestar kept talking.

Hollowdawn had stepped forward, gray eyes gleaming. Padding to the center of the clearing, she mewed "I have another ceremony to perform. Aurorapaw?" Hollowdawn's silvery-gray apprentice stepped forward, head tipped slightly. Her pale gold eyes were inquisitive, but she kept quiet, contenting herself with a twitch of her tail. Hollowdawn raised her pale rusty head and mewed "Aurorapaw has shown her compassion and dedication to being a medicine cat many times over, and I wish to give her the name she deserves." Aurorapaw's look didn't change, but her eyes gleamed with excitement. Pinekit personally though she was keeping herself under control rather well, but didn't say anything. Hollowdawn looked to the sky and mewed "I, Hollowdawn, healer of Echoclan, call upon my Warrior ancestors to gaze upon this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of healing and medicine.." Blazekit fidgeted, and hissed "Get on with it!" but was silenced by Venomglare. Hollowdawn paused a second, and continued "And I commend her to you as a medicine cat in her turn. Do you promise to uphold the ways of a medicine cat, to step beyond clan boundaries and to heal all cats, regardless of birth or heritage, even at the cost of your life?" Aurorapaw nodded and spoke solemnly "I do." Hollowdawn blinked, almost sadly, then mewed "Then from this moment on, you'll be known as Auroragleam. Starclan honors your dedication and your skill, and welcomes you as a full Medicine cat of Echoclan." The clan yowled in approval, and Pinekit joined in.

Rosestar leaped down, and cats began to cluster around Voidfreeze. Galefrost and Birdpaw slipped out of camp, towards the forest. Crystalgleam and Snowpaw headed for the exit as well, both looking equally excited. Pinekit jumped as someone said his name. He whirled around to see Thrushpaw beckoning him over from the apprentice's den. Pinekit skipped over, twitching his ears in curiosity. Thrushpaw purred in welcome, and mewed "Are you looking forward to being an apprentice too?" Pinekit tipped his head, and mewed uncertainly "I guess." Deep down, Pinekit wasn't sure if he was ready. Thrushpaw turned onto his back, pale brown belly to the sky. Blinking drowsily in the warm green-leaf air, the brown tom mewed "Don't worry.. When you get older, you'll really feel the excitement." Pinekit mewed in agreement, then turned and pelted over to the Elder's den at the call of his littermates.

All worries flew from his mind as he listened to a story Ghostwish told, listening intently. As the old elder told the kits about a fox that had once broken into the nursery and almost killed a whole litter of Echoclan kittens, Pinekit noticed how plump the old tom was, his battle-scarred body coated in thick fur. Letting his mind drift once more, the tom's eyes wandered the camp. Driftingpaw and Thrushpaw were wrestling near the thorn patch, while Hiddensong and Flightcrack looked on approvingly. Voidfreeze was at the head of a hunting patrol stalking out of camp, his tail held high. Pinekit recognized Sandflash by his dusky-brown pelt, streaked with gold. Secludedblizzard followed, creamy fur spiked in excitement. Rosestar was deep in conversation with Venomglare, a jet-black senior warrior with venomous green eyes. Both cats nodded to the patrol, but didn't break from their talk. Pinekit settled down comfortable as Ghostwish shifted his story to one describing how Spiritclan had once tried to claim the Lightstone territory. The brown kit's attention strayed briefly as he thought to himself 'This is how life should be.' He wasn't looking forward to Leaf-bare, slightly afraid from the stories of hunger that Sleetdrift had told him, but knew it was moons away. He yawned, and decided not to worry. He put his head on his paws. 'Besides,' he reasoned with himself, 'I'll be an apprentice by then. I'll be able to help my clan, no matter what.'


	2. Chapter 2

The moon's reflection rippled across the surface of the stream separating the Gathering clearing from clan territory. Blazepaw fluffed up her red fur, darker paws working the ground restlessly. Strange scents wreathed around her, and she wrinkled her nose. 'Man,' she thought crossly. 'The other clans stink!' Her clanmates were crossing the stream slowly, and she itched to be at the clearing. A soft mew ticked her ear. "Calm down, Blazepaw." The reddish apprentice turned to gaze at her mentor pleadingly. "But Badgerpath, they're taking ages." The black and white tom mewed in amusement, and softly replied "There will be plenty of time for socializing." Blazepaw nodded, and turned her attention back to the cats crossing. Thrushjump and Driftingpaw leaped across easily. Blazepaw felt a small pang of sadness for the black and white apprentice who had injured her shoulder. Driftingpaw had fallen out of a tree a couple of moons ago, but was nursed back to health by Hollowdawn. Her denmate had gone on to earn his warrior name of Thrushjump, but Drifitngpaw would have to train for at least another moon before she could join him. In front of her, Coldpath and Freezesun crossed, followed closely by Splatterdapple. Casting her thoughts aside, Blazepaw crouched. 'I can't miss this,' she thought, eyes narrowing. She imagined her brothers mocking her, and her determination flared. Badgerpath placed his tail tip on her shoulder and murmered softly "Just be careful. It's not dangerous, but if you fall in and get a cold Auroragleam isn't going to be happy with you." Blazepaw rolled her eyes. 'I can take care of myself,' she thought. 'This may be my first Gathering, but I'll show that I'm not a mewling kit anymore!' Leaping, she cleared the stream easily, landing a few tail-lengths from the bank. At once, she darted into the bushes, eager to explore. She ignored her mentor's call, but stopped short, gaping as she stared at the gathering clearing.

In the center was a large, grassy space bathed in the light of the full moon. Cats of all size and age flitted around, while tight groups of elders and apprentices had hushed conversations in the shadows by massive stone cliffs. An oak tree towered above the clearing, gnarled and twisted roots as thick as a cat's body hanging off the cliff walls. Some snaked through earthy patches in the stone walls, and on some of them sat a few cats. Blazepaw recognized Rosestar on one of the smaller roots near the top when she heard Badgerpath come panting behind her. He looked mildly angry, but not enough to worry Blazepaw. "Don't run off at a gathering!" he hissed, earthy-brown eyes narrowed. He licked his ruffled fur, smoothing it, before continuing. "There may be a truce under the full moon, but you can never trust enemy warriors. They may try to get information out of you since you're new." He looked down at her sharply, as though accusing her. The rusty apprentice bristled at the thought that she'd be dumb enough to give away information. "I don't have bees in my brain!" Furious, she stalked off, fluffy tail twitching in annoyance.

Taking a few breaths, she looked around, feeling slightly lost. Suddenly, she spotted her brother Pinepaw near a group of older cats by a twisted Holly bush. She leaped over, glad to find someone she recognized. Then, she realized that Pinepaw must be talking to the other clans' medicine cats. She skidded to a halt in front of them, feeling awkward, but a fluffy grey she-cat with friendly pinkish-grey eyes beckoned her over. 'There's a truce,' she scolded herself. 'We're supposed to get to know one another!' Trotting over, Blazepaw settled next to Pinepaw. A tiny gold tom was shaking his head, mewing sadly "Terrible. A badger you say?" Auroragleam nodded. "We found her near the border with Shadeclan. It hasn't entered your territory, has it Lilacriver?" The dusky she-cat that had beckoned Blazepaw over shook her head. "It came along the border, then veered to the outer territory." Blazepaw realized they were talking about the badger that had killed Hollowdawn nearly two moons ago. Since Pinepaw had never showed much interest in being a warrior, Auroragleam took him on as an apprentice. His leafy eyes had gleamed after returning from the Lightrock, and Blazepaw still felt sad knowing that his path led him to Starclan. She had looked forward to training with all of her brothers.

Auroragleam turned towards Blazepaw, and mewed "This is Blazepaw, one of our apprentices." Taken by surprise, Blazepaw blinked rapidly at being the center of attention before dipping her head quickly, ears burning. The golden tom flicked her shoulder lightly with his tail, and mewed "Greetings. I'm Dawnriver of Emberclan. This," he flicked his tail at the pink-eyed she-cat, "is Lilacriver of Shadeclan. And this," he swished his tail to a large white tom that Blazepaw hadn't noticed before, "is Snowear, of Lakeclan." Blazepaw mewed in a voice that was far too high-pitched to be her own "I-I'm Blazepaw," then felt stupid when she realized that Auroragleam had already introduced her. Her ear tips felt like they were on fire. All the cats mewed in greeting, pretending not to notice, but stopped short as a yowl sounded from the large earthy cliffs of the massive oak. Blazepaw looked, and saw that three other cats had joined Rosestar on the roots of the cliff.

Lilacriver whispered quickly, "That's where the clan leaders sit. The large grey tom is Phantomstar of Shadeclan. He's not as scary as he looks. Cloudedstar is the windswept brown one, and she leads Emberclan. Dropstar leads Lakeclan, and shes she silver tabby. I can't say what they're like as they aren't my leaders, but I'm sure they're fine." Blazepaw nodded, eyes wide. They were massive! She shivered, realizing that Rosestar looked like an apprentice next to them, and suddenly felt a defensive urge to protect her leader. But Rosestar looked just as proud, green eyes burning from the shadows. In a way, she looked almost as tall as the other leaders, and twice as fierce. 'Wow,' thought Blazepaw, staring up with wide eyes. The leaders were magnificent.

The large brown she-cat, Cloudedstar, got to her paws, eyes of chipped ice flashing as the moonlight caught them. "If there are no objections, Emberclan will start." Nobody objected, so she continued, "The prey is running well. Our trees are full of birds and our forests are in full bloom. Twoleg activity on the border of the outer territory hasn't risen, and we have a new deputy. Softbelly has had to retire, and Flaredawn stands here to replace him." Murmurs of welcome rippled across the clearing, the loudest from the Emberclan cats. Blazepaw followed their gaze to a small group of four cats sitting below the leaders at the base of the cliff. Voidfreeze sat with two other toms and one pale orange she-cat. Blazepaw assumed she must be Flaredawn. Her dull blue eyes were downcast, and she looked embarrassed at being addressed at a gathering. Blazepaw thought she was rather pretty, but didn't say anything. Cloudedstar had sat down once more, and Phantomstar came forward. His voice rumbled deep in his throat, a single white foot reflecting moonlight. "The prey in Shadeclan is running just as well, and we have a new warrior. Iceriver sits vigil in camp tonight." Yowls of welcome came from the clearing, Shadeclan cats calling loudest from the shadows. They seemed to all be the color of stone, so the ones around the cliffs were hard to pick out in the shadows. Blazepaw shivered, imagining them stalking through the shadows of the trees. 'They must live in a rocky territory, otherwise they'd be easy to spot,' she thought privatly, glad that she had the soft fern and long grasses to cool her paws. Turning her attention back to the leaders, she scolded herself to stop getting distracted, and to stop being so afraid of enemy had told her and her littermates about the other clans many times, but she knew in her heart that Echoclan was the best.

Rosestar stood now, her eyes still glaring defiantly out across the clearing. "Tonight, our medicine cat has a new apprentice. Pinepaw was taken on by Auroragleam a few days after the last gathering." Greetings echoed around the clearing, and Blazepaw yowled. Beside her, Pinepaw dipped his head awkwardly, and worked at the ground with his paws. Dawnriver murmered softly "Hollowdawn would approve, may Starclan light her path." Blazepaw blinked for a few moments, before realizing that the old tom and Hollowdawn must have spoken many times. She had been respected among the clans. Rosestar nodded, before mewing "We have three other apprentices tonight, as well as a new warrior. Thrushjump has recieved his warrior name, and Stormingpaw Blazepaw and Sunpaw are here tonight." Warm greetings once again rippled through the crowd. Blazepaw lifted her head high, and felt warm from the loud greetings of her own clan. Across the clearing, she spotted Sunpaw and Stormingpaw near a group of other apprentices with a fishy scent that she could only assume to be Lakeclan. Stormingpaw had his chest puffed out, while Sunpaw was looking modest. The cheers dying down, Rosestar stepped back. Dropstar stepped forward, sky-blue eyes shining and silver fur seeming to glow. Her voice was quiet, but had the strong tone of commanding. "Lakeclan has seen no activity from the Twolegs, and the streams and rivers that run through our territory are full of fish. One of our elders, Reedring, went to join Starclan a few nights ago. His journey was peaceful, but his clan mourns for him." Dipping her head, she waited a minute for the murmurs to cease, then raised her head and said "One of our warriors chased a fox from the border with Emberclan. It may still be in clan territory, so I felt it best to warn the other clans." Nodding, she stepped back. Blazepaw thought she heard a touch of smugness in the Lakeclan leader's voice, as though she was doing them a favor by telling them. Instantly, Blazepaw felt dislike flaring for the leader.

Phantomstar had been watching the sky, and stepped forward. Blazepaw jumped as a distant rumble of thunder crashed on the horizon. Phantomstar yowled "Let us make haste to our own clans, before this storm catches us off-guard." Jumping down, the leaders rallied their clans and made their away from the gathering island. Auroragleam gathered Pinepaw and Blazepaw, then padded over to the group of Echoclan cats. Rosestar nodded, and held her bushy, short tail high as she could. Leading the way to the stream, Blazepaw kept an eye on the storm, not particularly fond of water.

Waiting her turn to jump across, she heard a whisper in her ear, but didn't catch what it said as a crash of thunder, much closer this time, split the air, and lightning cracked the sky. Startled, she saw nobody behind her, just the empty clearing. It looked so empty now that the clans were leaving for their camps. Shuddering, she turned back. Whoever had tried to speak to her could find her again if they needed something from her. On the trek home, the reddish apprentice was lost in thought. Had someone tricked her, or tried to pull a bad joke? Rain began to splatter on her pelt, a particularly large one dropping onto her nose. Spitting, she raced ahead as water began to stream through the leaves. 'Forget that,' she thought crossly, shooting into camp. 'If I don't hurry, I'll get all wet!' Skidding into the apprentice's den, she nearly hit Driftingpaw, who was washing the rain from her pelt. Blazepaw spun and stopped, then walked over to her denmate. Cleaning the droplets from her own fur, she felt tiredness pulling at her eyelids. Gaping her jaws in a huge yawn, Blazepaw settled next to Driftingpaw, who mewed sleepily, "I hope this storm stops soon." Blazepaw mewed in agreement, but was already asleep before she heard Driftingpaw's reply.

Blazepaw awoke in a large grassy clearing, and it was a moment before she realized it was the gathering clearing. Stone walls towered before her, and soft light illuminated the clearing. Beside her, Stormingpaw was curled up, with Sunpaw on his other side. Nudging them gently, she whispered urgently "Guys, wake up!" Stormingpaw blinked, then leaped to his paws. "What in Starclan are we doing here?" Sunpaw's mew made them both jump. "We must be dreaming," he observed quietly, then began licking one white paw. Stormingpaw gaped at him, and Blazepaw felt a rush of anger towards her brother. "Oh yeah," she mewed sarcastically. "Maybe it's normal for you to get freakish dreams in the middle of the night, but this doesn't happen to us." Rolling her gleaming blue eyes, she rolled onto her back and licked one paw, mewing "What now, genius?" She saw Sunpaw open his jaws, but another voice answered. Blazepaw leaped to her paws, fur bristling and claws extended as a cat that seemed to be lit by stars padded towards them, her blurry cream paws giving off scattered wisps of stars that twinkled, then vanished. Beside her, she felt Stormingpaw's fur brush out, and he hissed. Only Sunpaw stayed at ease, still looking calm.

The cream cat mewed softly "Calm, young ones. I brought you here for a simple reason. You need to wake up." Blazepaw blinked, then mewed "Why would we have to wake up? I'm not going out of my den until that storm has eased off." Stormingpaw mewed in agreement, then added as an afterthought "Unless I need food." Sunpaw rolled his eyes, hissing "Trust you to think only of your stomach." Stormingpaw lowered his eyes, but looked up again with a look of confusion in his eyes. "If you needed us to wake up, why isn't Pinepaw here?" The cat shook her head, and mewed "Now is not the time." Padding forward, she nosed Sunpaw softly on the head. Instantly, he vanished, eyes closed. She did this to Stormingpaw as well. Turning to Blazepaw, she reached to touch her head, but the red apprentice sprang back. "Why would we need to wake up? What's going on?" Purring, the cat whispered "You'll see." Blazepaw let herself be jolted back into the waking world, and looked around. Water still cascaded outside the den, and thunder was still crashing. Her brothers gazed at her uncertainly, and she shrugged. Who would they need to wake up this early? Before the could voice her questions however, a dull slippery rumbling sounded above them. Sunpaw hissed "That's not thunder." Looking up through the branches of the den, they saw a tide of mud slipping towards them from the slope above them, boulders and rocks that could crush a cat caught in the fall. Gasping, she reached for Driftingpaw and dragged her denmate to the back of the den. She heard Stormingpaw yowl "Stay near the stone wall!" before rocks snapped through the vines and branches where their nests had beem. Blazepaw shivered, knowing that if they'd stayed there they would have been crushed. Mud caked the leaves, blocking out the moonlight. Blazepaw heard Driftingpaw mew in fear and confusion below her, but kept her head down in terror. Branches cracked above her, drooping from the weight of the mud. Behind her, Sunpaw yowled, but she didn't reply. Her heart was beating rapidly and fearfully. The den was going to collapse!


End file.
